The Grabber

Won't Go Easy On You

"Wakey, wakey, sleepy head," a dark voice spoke. Andrea slowly stirred as she realized the lights had come on. She looked over towards the door where the voice had come from. "It's already past noon. Did you not sleep well through the night?" Andrea sat up as she looked at him.
"As much as one can when kidnapped, but there's nothing to do down here." Al gave the room a look around. He sighed.
"Ah, well, I can't put anything down here. You might find a way to escape with it, and we can't have that, now can we?"
"Why not... at least a notepad? And a pencil?" She asked.
"You like to draw?" He asked without shifting his gaze. Andrea looked at his motionless arms that stayed by his side. She nodded.
"It's a hobby." He crossed his arms as he looked up in thought. Andrea hoped he would at least consider it. She watched as his gaze wandered from side to side as if weighing the pros and cons.
"You might try to stab me with the pencil," he finally sighed as he looked at her.
"What makes you think I would do that? I haven't tried to attack you so far." He shook his head as he chuckled.
"Naughty ones always do," he spoke in a low voice. Andrea watched as he gaze stared into hers. She couldn't seem to look away.
"I'm not a... a bad one," she finally said. The Grabber breathed as he slowly turned; leaving his gaze to be the last thing to leave Andrea.
"We'll just have to see about that." He turned as he finally closed the door. Andrea didn't try to stop him. Instead, she perked up at the sound of the door closing. It wasn't the usual thud of the lock. She slowly stood as she released a shakey breath. She stared at the lock as she made careful steps towards it. As she placed her hand on the handle, she took a deep breath before slowly pulling the door open.
"Ah, ah, ah," a voice taunted. She gasped as she looked up the stairs. Al took a few steps to be just in the doorway of another door upstairs. He glared at her through the mask. "I didn't say you could leave," he said as he slowly unbunckled his belt. He tilted his head a bit as he slid it out of the loops of his jeans and into a loop in his hands. "What a naughty thing it would be to disobey." He released a giggle that sent chills down Andrea's spine. "I might just have to punish you. Unless, of course, you close the door and stay down there like a good girl." Andrea froze in fear.
"A-Al, I-" Al took a quick step down. Andrea gasped as she recoiled behind the door, keeping her eyes on him.
"Get back down there," he pointed. Andrea gulped as she slowly closed the door back; not removing her gaze from his. He didn't move his either. As the door closed, Andrea's hands grew shakey. She released her hand from the door as she breathed. She slowly backed up to the bed, letting herself fall as she hit it. As the fear coursed through her body, it numbed any pain she felt from her leg. She curled herself inwards as she tried to calm herself. Now that she knew what else the Grabber would do if she misbehaved, she was terrified to move. Terrified to speak. Terrified to do anything that may trigger his anger. She needed to be careful. She needed to get out of here.

...

It was night. Andrea couldn't sleep. She didn't want to sleep. She sat on the bed with her back against the wall. She held her knees to her chest. She stared at the door as she spaced. Spacing was a common thing for her. Most of the time, she didn't even day dream or think. She simply stared and observed the world around her through her other senses. As she did, she began to hear a familiar tune. She blinked a few times to come back to reality and make sure she wasn't making it up. Sure enough, the tune still played. One that she could name. She slowly moved to stand as she listened. It was coming from upstairs.
"I'll never laugh again, what good would it do?" The lyrics sang. Andrea recognized this group. The Ink Spots. As she came closer to the door, she realized she hadn't closed it all the way earlier. It was cracked just enough for her to hear the tune. She opened the door slowly, just enough to peer up the stairs. Al hadn't closed the door that led into what looked like the kitchen. She couldn't see any sign of Al or where the music would be coming from. She simply left the door opened a little. Just enough for her to hear the music. She decided to slowly slide her back down the wall beside the door to sit on the ground. She curled herself inwards as she listened to the song.
"Within my heart, I know I will never start," it sang. Andrea gently swayed as she began to space again. She leaned her head against the door frame. She closed her eyes finally as she listened. She took a slow deep breath, letting the music calm her.
"I'll never thrill again, to somebody new," she decided to sing along softly. As the song went on, she continued to sing. She didn't even realize her voice was gradually getting louder.
"I know I will never start, to smile again, until I smile at you." As the final note rang out, Andrea noticed a sudden silence. As she raised up in realization, she could hear footsteps coming closer. She gasped as she stood to move away. She didn't think to close the door. It didn't take but a second for her to realize as she had already moved away, but it was too late. The steps stopped just outside the door. Andrea gulped in silence.
"Was that you singing?" The man behind the door finally asked. Andrea moved her mouth to speak, but no words were heard. "How could you hear it?" Andrea looked in the area that could be seen past the door. She saw a silhouette of what looked like a belt dangling from his hand. "I see the door is open." She felt tears begin to burn her eyes from fear.
"The door was already open," she slowly answered. He suddenly kicked the door open with a loud creak to reveal the silhouette of the man she was afraid to see.
"The door was already open," he echoed in a dark voice. "Even after I told you to close it."
"I opened it a little when I heard-"
"So you were going to come upstairs?" The voice boomed as he stormed past the dark doorway. Andrea backed up away as she tried to explain herself.
"No, I wasn't, I just wanted to hear the music!" She spoke in fear. The man came closer with the belt tight in his grasp. His mask showed a large frown as he made his way closer.
"I told you what I would do if you misbehaved again," he said as he raised his arm. Andrea held an arm up to block the blow as she was backed into the wall.
"Al, please! I wasn't leaving! I swear!" She pleaded through tears. "Stop, please! Please don't hurt me!" As the man was within inches of Andrea's body, he froze with his arm still in the air. Andrea's breathing remained heavy in fear. She stared at him in terror with tears streaming.
"Then what were you doing?" He growled. Andrea gulped before answering.
"I wanted to listen. Music is my comfort," she started slowly. "And I'm terrified." She slowly glanced at Al's bare chest, the belt in the air, ready to be swung, then back into his eyes; taking in their proximity and the situation Andrea could possibly be in. As she stayed motionless, keeping her eyes on Al's, he finally looped the belt around Andrea's neck to pull her face close to his. She gasped as she used her hands against his shoulders to try and keep space between them.
"You listen to me," he growled, unaffected by Andrea's attempt to push him away. "I'm starting to lose my patience with you. You have no idea how close I am to just moving on with the next part." Andrea tried to push herself away. Irritated with her pushing, Al removed the belt and held her arms so she couldn't fight back. "Keep this up, and your time here will be shorter than you expected." He pushed her away, causing her to stumble back to the wall. He turned away and left the room, closing the door all the way. Andrea gulped as she slowly sunk to the floor; her body paralyzed by fear.
"It's not worth it," she softly panted to herself. "Why did I fucking go through with this?"

...

"The school called yesterday," James sighed as he and Rebecca walked down the sidewalk. "They wanted to check in on Andrea."
"What did you tell them?" Rebecca asked. James shrugged as if there was only one answer.
"Just that she was still sick. I don't know how much longer we can keep this up. It's been five days." The two walked in silence for a bit. Their worry spoke without words.
"You don't think she's..."
"No," James quickly responded. "No. She can't be."
"I wish she could give us some kind of sign that she's still... alive," Rebecca spoke gently. She knew James was just as worried as she was. She also knew that Michael was worried the most. She had talked to him the night before. He was starting to lose hope.
"I hope she comes back soon. If at all."
"Don't say that," Rebecca said as she looked at James. "She will come back. She will. I know it." James nodded.
"Yeah, you're right." He looked down at his shoes as they neared the school. "I hope."